Gaming system having multiple gaming machines which provide bonus awards

• US 8,235,808 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Baerlocher, Anthony J., Vasquez, James A., Peterson, Tonja M., Ching, Erick T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/830,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20080081691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,835 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 26, 463 40- 42
• US Class Current: 463/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3258 Cumulative reward schemes, e.g. jackpots
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3267 Game outcomes which determine the course of the subsequent game, e.g. double or quits, free games, higher payouts, different new games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3269 Timing aspects of game play, e.g. blocking/halting the operation of a gaming machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3276 wherein the players compete, e.g. tournament
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3283 wherein the number of active machines is limited
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3286 Type of games
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising

a plurality of gaming machines;

and

a controller configured to communicate with said gaming machines, wherein the controller is programmed to;

(a) maintain an accumulated wager pool for the plurality of gaming machines, wherein said accumulated wager pool is maintained, at least in part, based on a portion of any wagers placed on the gaming machines during a bonus event accumulation period for a bonus event;

(b) determine if the maintained accumulated wager pool reaches a threshold value;

(c) if the maintained accumulated wager pool reaches the threshold value, randomly determine, at designated intervals during the bonus event accumulation period, if the bonus event will occur; and

(d) cause at least one of the gaming machines to display the bonus event if the bonus event is determined to occur.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated intervals are time based.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the designated intervals are based on the accumulated wager pool.

4. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising

(a) maintaining an accumulated wager pool for a plurality of gaming machines, wherein said accumulated wager pool is maintained, at least in part, based on a portion of any wagers placed on the gaming machines during a bonus event accumulation period for a bonus event;

(b) determining if the maintained accumulated wager pool reaches a threshold value;

(c) if the maintained accumulated wager pool reaches the threshold value, randomly determining, at designated intervals during the bonus event accumulation period, if the bonus event will occur; and

(d) causing at least one of the gaming machines to display the bonus event if the bonus event is determined to occur.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the designated intervals are time based.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the designated intervals are based on the accumulated wager pool.

7. The method of claim 4, which is provided through a data network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the data network is an internet.